Wednesday, August 5, 2009

A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (July, 2009) found that men who exercised for at least 30 minutes a day at moderate to high intensity halved their risk of dying prematurely from cancer, mainly gastrointestinal and lung cancer. Regular exercise at adequate intensity benefits the health of gastrointestinal tract and the lungs. Since many cancer deaths result from colon or lung cancers that have been spread from the primary cancer source, lifestyle that benefits colon and lung health can help prolong lifespan of cancer patients.

The protective mechanism of exercise is the result of the following. First, regular exercise encourages regular bowel movements, which means that the carcinogens in the stool have less chance of being reabsorbed back into the body through intestinal walls, thereby reducing cancer development, especially in the colons. Also, excessive body fat has been correlated with increased cancer risk, therefore, regular exercise (which helps to maintain healthy body weight) translates into decreased cancer risk. Lastly, regular exercise also modulates antioxidant enzymes activities as well as regulating hormonal levels, both of which contribute to decreased cancer risk and progression.

It is important to note that regular exercise (in this case) refers to at least 30 minutes daily, of moderate to high intensity.